Nelstrops was founded.

William Nelstrop grew up on the family farm and mill in Ackworth, Yorkshire.  In 1820, aged 19 he crossed the Pennines and set up a corn dealing business in Stockport, Cheshire where the mill still stands today.

The mill was steam powered and the flour delivered in sacks by horse and cart.

William Nelstrop refuses the honour of a knighthood from Queen Victoria.

The anti-Corn Law riots in the 1840’s were a period of significant civil unrest in Britain.  William Nelstrop, then Mayor of Stockport was offered a knighthood for his part in defusing the riots.  William refused the honour, partly because as a staunch Methodist he thought he was only doing his duty and also because he had sympathy with the poor.

1890's

The mill was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt by 1893 on the original site.

1939-45

All the central Manchester flour mills were destroyed in air raids.  Nelstrops increased production to try and fill the gap.  Family members and staff stood by with sand buckets on the roof to try and douse the incendiary bombs.  Flour was stored at Little Bollington, next to Dunham Massey, in the Cheshire countryside in case the mill was hit and people needed flour.

1950’s/ 60’s

Nelstrops faced a difficult time as the industry began a period of restructuring and consolidation, when many family businesses were taken over by the national millers.

1970’s

Nelstrops resolutely retained its independence, and in the next decades, began to see new opportunities as customers started to look for new tastes and textures.

1990’s

Nelstrops continued to invest, adding a second mill to the site and then being the first millers in the world to use Peritec in flour milling. This results in flours that are purer whilst retaining more of the nutritional components of wheat.

2000’s

Expansion of the original site to provide more space for investment and the growing business.

2018

Commissioning of a third flour mill on the original site using the latest Swiss engineering which produces flours of consistency and excellence.

2020 Nelstrops 200th anniversary

Nelstrops celebrates its 200th anniversary, through an unbroken line of family millers.